IOO 



German Bounties. 



[may, 



of the new-comers are absorbed by the works in progress in 

 connection with railroads, waterworks and other large under- 

 takings. 



Hours of labour vary, but there is a general tendency in the 

 vicinity of railways, shops and factories to regard ten hours as 

 the working day, and it is becoming quite common to expect 

 •day hands to leave at the end of ten hours' work ; monthly 

 hands work longer, and " from sun to sun " is a frequent state- 

 ment of the hours of farm labour from some part of almost every 

 State. There is a somewhat general custom over the country 

 to give dinner to day helpers and, in some cases, two meals. 



A number of public holidays are observed, in addition to 

 Sunday, and payment for these is a matter of adjustment. In 

 certain States the irregularities of service caused by holidays and 

 by idleness are so great that hiring for fixed periods has largely 

 given way to hiring by the day, or if hiring for longer periods is 

 retained deductions are made for all time lost. 



GERMAN BOUNTIES ON AGRICULTURAL 

 PRODUCTS. 



A Report * recently issued by the Foreign Office on the 

 bounties, other than those on shipping and navigation, paid by 

 foreign Governments, contains an account of the advantages 

 granted by the German Government in order to favour the 

 •exportation of grain, flour and other mill products. 



From the year 1865 to 1879 corn was admitted duty free into 

 Germany, but in the latter year a duty of 2s. 2d. per quarter was 

 imposed. The effect of this duty was to render the trade of the 

 smaller millers and corn merchants with foreign countries more 

 •difficult, on account of the greater money outlay required to pay 

 the import duties when they brought wheat into the Empire ; 

 and that portion of the population engaged in various German 

 industries was also affected by the higher home price of corn 

 and its products. In order to alleviate somewhat these effects 



* Commercial, No. 2 (1x04). Cci. 1946. Price 6d. 



